Firefighter family celebrates a life

Karen Zekan

Thursday, Oct. 29, 1998 | 11:38 a.m.

It makes no sense that a woman as healthy as Sheila Tarr Smith would die at age 34.

She didn't drink or smoke, never ate junk, was the 1984 NCAA heptathlon champion in the Division 1-A Track and Field Championships while a student at UNLV, and maintained her physical shape to stay strong as a Clark County firefighter.

She was diagnosed in early 1997 with an affliction her mother, Linda Tarr, described as a form of neuropathy after seeing a doctor about an unusual weakness. She'd undergone two plasma treatments without a problem, but a third she had on a Wednesday in early August of this year wiped her out. She was hospitalized four days later and suddenly died Aug. 15 at 4 a.m. at University Medical Center.

To this day no one knows exactly what happened. The family is still waiting for test results.

And it is a big family at that, encompassing all her natural relatives and the entire Clark County Fire Department.

Her fellow firefighters will not forget the vibrant, vivacious brunette's dedication to her job and the role model she'd become for other females on the department.

Wednesday morning proved bittersweet when Fire Chief Earl Greene peeled off a strip of black tape on a bronze plaque outside Station 18 on East Flamingo Road. Beneath it lay Sheila Tarr Smith -- the 28th name on the list of "Fallen Fire Fighters" who have died during the department's 45-year history.

Two of the 28 -- Colin Hanley and Frank Testa -- died in the line of duty. The other 26, Tarr Smith among them, died while off duty. But none are forgotten.

The department scheduled the ceremony to coincide with Fire Fighter Memorial Day, held every year in October. They also on Wednesday honored their honor guard comprised of 11 Clark County firefighter-paramedics who've volunteered to be the first fire honor guard in the valley.

Scott Webster, the honor guard's leader, organized the group who have performed throughout the country in 48 events including Wednesday's memorial since forming two years ago.

The honor guard includes Karl Kendrick, Steve Bradwell, Marc Johnson, Mark Williams, Warren Whitney, Jon Wiercinski, Don Price, Kage Snyder, Joe Ragonese and Shaun Huntsman.

In a prayer during the unveiling, Greene asked that the firefighters still living exemplify the dedication shown by those names now on the plaque.

"She's probably looking down on her friends right now, so proud that they would actually do something like this for her," Tarr Smith's mother said, her smile exuding a warmth and positive attitude friends similarly described of her daughter.

Tarr's cheerfulness is remarkable considering what this mother has endured.

Her daughter was her best friend. They vacationed together in Jamaica and Belize, were in New York last year for Thanksgiving and had planned this year to go to Boston.

Firefighters' warmth and support has helped.

Since she was a little girl, Tarr Smith wanted to be a firefighter. She practically grew up going to the fire station with her mom's brother, now a fire chief in Benecia, Calif. He encouraged her to become a firefighter when she chose to major in hotel management.

She never regretted choosing a job as a firefighter. Her mom said she loved the physical challenge.

The family celebrated her life Sept. 26 when 25 friends and family gathered at the home Tarr Smith shared with her husband, Steven Smith, also a firefighter up at Mt. Charleston. With the group at the house watching through binoculars, Smith and another firefighter climbed up Cathedral Rock, called by cell phone once they reached the top, then scattered her ashes as friends and family raised champagne glasses in a toast and let loose 30 balloons of every color.

"I could just imagine her there, in the crowd, so amazed that all here friends really loved her so much," her mother said. "All they've done for her -- it would make her so happy."